Domenico Cardinal Serafini

Domenico Cardinal Serafini, O.S.B. (August 3, 1852 - March 5, 1918) was the Prefect of Propagation of the Faith and Cardinal-Priest of S. Cecilia.

[edit] Biography

Domenico Cardinal Serafini was born in Rome, Italy, on August 3, 1852, of a noble family. (Marchese Camillo Serafini, who would became the first - and last - Governor of the Vatican State belonged to the same family). Domenico Serafini was ordained Priest of the Order of Saint Benedict on 21 October 1877 at 25 years of age. He became the Abbot of Subiaco, Italy on 5 June 1896, at 43. Subsequently, he was appointed Archbishop of Spoleto (Umbria), Italy on 16 April 1900 and ordained Bishop on May 16, 1900. In January 1904, at 51 years of age, Archbishop Serafini was appointed Apostolic Delegate to México and, in 1914, he was created Cardinal and appointed Cardinal-Priest of Saint Cecilia. In January 1916, he was appointed Prefect of Affairs of Religious of the Roman Curia and then, Prefect of Propagation of the Faith.

Archbishop Serafini died on 5 March 1918 at 65 years of age, while holding the post of Prefect of Propagation of the Faith of the Roman Curia.

In the Conclave of 1914 which was summoned after Pope Pius X died in the Vatican, on August 20, 1914, Cardinal Giacomo della Chiesa, archbishop of Bologna, Italy, was elected on September 3, 1914, on the tenth ballot, held on the third day, and took the name Benedict XV. Cardinal Serafini was della Chiesa's stronger contender, then.